


The Rift

by Cryptidghost



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: But there is also happy, Gen, Other, there is sad, theres no violence in the first chap, this isn't reylo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-14 11:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5742313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cryptidghost/pseuds/Cryptidghost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey is excited for Ben's arrival back home at the temple, but little did she know, things wouldn't be the same anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first fic so please, be kind! 
> 
> My friend, Bagelnohida, and I came up with sad headcannons concerning young Ben and Rey. They're is going to be some similarities between our two stories so please don't think I'm copying someone else's ideas when we shared ours with each other and decided to make fics. 
> 
> I also headcannon Luke as Rey's father.

The day was good. Too good. But Rey didn’t mind, it meant more time to watch her father teach, more time to play in the field, more time to laugh and be happy. The sun was incredibly warm and bright against the pale blue sky, with few clouds dotting the horizon. A breeze blew and ruffled Rey’s dark hair and pale clothes around her, and she smiled, a bright joyous smile full of life. She extended her arms out beside her, feeling the wind as she closed her eyes. She breathed, meditating in a short, quick way, for a few paces before letting her arms down and opening her eyes again. Looking around she saw the blooms of spring flowers, in hues of blues and bright yellows, buzzing with insects and grazing alien animals. Younglings ran around with each other in the fields, giggling and shouting. They were playing a game, pretending to be Jedi Knights from the stories they heard from Luke. Many of them used sticks for lightsabers and playfully pushed each other down with the force. They'd invited Rey to come play but she turned down the offer, wanting to be alone for awhile before she had to get ready. 

Rey frowned for a brief moment, furrowing her brows, realizing that today was when Ben was coming back. She looked forward to this day, wanting to rekindle their friendship, the familial bond they had with each other. She wanted Ben to be back to normal, no more moodiness, no more yelling, and no more isolation. She wanted him to be happy and lively like he once was. She wanted to be back on Ben’s shoulders, laughing away and at some poor joke he told, and wanted to sit with him in silence out in the field, meditating. They’d been a good pair, always getting each other in trouble during Luke’s lessons, earning some stern glances and punishments from him, but nonetheless kept the mischief up. Rey remembered playing with Ben’s hair not too long ago, making it just like hers, three buns and all, snickering when she was done. He promised to keep them up all day, just for her, even though everyone made fun of him. And that made her happy. Rey looked up to Ben, admired how he was so quick to learn and be so humble and kind, yet had a goofy charm about him. He’d tell jokes he got from the other learners or Han to Rey, and even though she might’ve not understood the full meaning of it, she still laughed. 

Ben was the person Rey was closest to, aside from Luke. Having to see him go saddened her deeply. Rey moped around for days, not coming to training or just sitting alone when it was play time. Luke would try his best to console and comfort her but she’d pout and turn away from him, telling her him to leave and go away. Rey remembered the day Ben left, hugging tightly around his waist, not wanting to ever let go. Ben had stood there, not acknowledging Rey’s disparity for a few moments, and let her cling onto him before slowly patting her head. Rey was pried off of Ben by Luke and held her close to him, knowing that she would attempt to run off into the sleek ship Ben entered. Rey cried out several times to Ben to get his attention before the ship hatch closed but, he didn’t acknowledge her. He kept his head down, like he was ashamed. Ben never looked back at Rey to wave goodbye before he left. Rey couldn’t figure out why he ignored her that day and it hurt her. Once the ship left the planet, she pushed herself off of Luke and ran off in the other direction.

Rey was upset and hated that Ben had to go, hated that he didn’t speak to her before he left. Tears poured from her eyes and streaked down her cheeks, wetting her neck as she ran away. She came across a tall tree far from the temple and sat at its trunk, sobbing for a few minutes. She fisted the grass in her small hands hard and with anger, getting dirt under her nails. She stayed at the tree until sundown, with a hard set face and arms crossed, just staring into the distance, not paying any attention to the calls directed towards her. Luke eventually came to her, after allowing her some time, and found her asleep. Her head was down and back hunched, but her arms still crossed tightly around each other. Luke let out a small chuckle when he heard her soft snore and carried her back to the temple in his arms and brought her to her room. He tucked her gently into bed and placed a small kiss on her forehead before leaving the room that night. 

“Rey!” A distant voice yelled from behind her. She jumped, the voice taking her out of her trance. 

The voice called again, “Rey come on! It's time!”

Rey turned around towards the temple, spotting her father. His hand was shielding his eyes from the sun and he motioned her to come inside. 

“Alright! Coming!!” Rey ran, pumping her small legs as fast as she could down the hill, and laughed when she ran past her father, who had his arms outstretched for a hug, and into the temple. 

Everywhere, students were making preparations, cleaning up and decorating the temple for Ben’s arrival. Leia never specified where Ben was going and what he was going to do while he was away, but she assured Luke, who assured Rey, that he’d be back to the way he once was. Though there was a slight inkling of doubt in Leia’s voice when they had the conversation many months ago. It never quite settled with Luke, but nonetheless, he had hope in his young nephew. Luke wanted to make sure Ben would feel welcome when he came back to the temple, being one of his best students and leaving on a not-so-good of a note, he believed Ben deserved something like this. Happiness and acceptance to come back to. Everyone at the temple missed him. Especially Rey who counted the days for his arrival. 

Luke watched Rey as she ran around helping younglings sweep the floor and carry small decorations for the older learners, who hung them up around the temple’s pillars. The decorations were in Ben’s favorite colors, red and silver, and made by the younglings who put their hearts into it. They looked messy, cut into uneven shapes by unskilled hands, but that didn’t matter because everyone was sure Ben would appreciate them. Luke walked over to Rey who handed the last decoration to a tall girl with dark hair and skin and scooped her into his arms, swinging her for a bit. 

“I think we should be getting you ready now,” Luke whispered in her ear after kissing her cheek. Rey giggled.

“But they need help still! I want to help!” 

“You’ve done enough. Let’s go get you ready.” Luke sat her back down on the ground and then crouched. “Piggyback?” Rey happily nodded in reply and jumped on him, arms and legs wrapped around tightly. A little too tightly. 

“Rey...are you planning to make your own father pass out?” Luke tugged a hand at one of her arms around his neck. “Because if you are,” he paused for a moment, “you're going to do a great job at it.”

“Oops.” Rey snickered and loosened her arms to where they hung loosely over his shoulders and clasped her hands in front. She gave a quick kiss to Luke’s head in apology and shouted, “Now go!” into his ear, making Luke cringe. 

Luke walked through the temple with Rey humming softly in his ear and swinging her head from side to side, looking around at the details in the temple’s structures. After two flights of stairs, he came to his room and opened the door with the flick of his fingers behind his back and walked in. Luke shut the door behind them and set Rey down so he could walk off to the window to open the shutters. Rey looked around at the big room, with tan straw mats dotting the floor and a few pillows circled around a small wooden table at the center of the room. There was a dresser against the wall next to the window lined up with little dolls and drawings Rey had made Luke each week and a wide messy bed to the left of it. To right of Rey, on the far side of the room, was a pale blue curtain that partitioned were Rey’s room started. 

Rey skipped over to the curtain and pulled it to the side, exposing her little compartment. A small bed strewn with covers just like her father’s lay to the left against the wall with Luke’s X-fighter helmet at the foot of it. A small dresser was against the wall to her right and a vanity with a small stool (a gift from Leia) was placed in between the two. A few toys were scattered across the floor, most of them gifts from Han and an assortment of rocks and stones were scattered out on the vanity from Rey and Ben’s outdoor adventures. Rey turned and walked to her dresser, opening the first drawer and pulling out a clean white shirt and beige pants. 

While Rey changed into her clean clothes, Luke grabbed a brush and a mirror and walked over to the the table, setting the items down and then sitting on one of the pillows, waiting patiently for Rey. Rey inched out from behind her curtain with a sly look on her face. She walked over slowly, lifting one leg up parallel to the floor and down at a time, to get a laugh out of Luke. 

Luke shook his head, “Come on now, he’ll be here soon.” He patted the pillow next to him. Rey let out a soft giggle, smiling brightly and dashed over to him. She plopped down on the pillow and turned her back towards Luke so he could take down her buns and brush her hair. 

“Do you think Ben will be happy to see me?” Rey asked.

Luke took her buns out and smoothed her hair out before grabbing the brush. “I think he’ll be very happy, you’re his best friend. Who wouldn’t be happy to see their best friend again? Especially when it's someone like you.” 

“Good.” Rey waited for a few moments before asking, “Can you paint my face?” 

“Paint your face?”

“Yeah. I wanna look cool for Ben.” 

“Well alright,” Luke let out a sigh, then smiled, “What color?”

“Blue.” Rey answered quickly. Luke nodded and put her hair back up into three buns. 

-

Rey smiled at herself in the mirror and swayed from side to side. She felt good and thought she looked good too. The blue paint lined her face, curling around her eyes and down her forehead and nose. Angled strokes outlined the sides of her face and a small thick strip of paint went from her bottom lip to the end of her chin. Rey reached up to her hairline and grabbed a few pieces of hair, tugged them down and patted them. She winked at herself in the mirror and turned to look outside in the window.

Clouds began to accumulate and she frowned, hoping that it wouldn’t rain on the day Ben got back. Some of his party was supposed to take place outside, afterall. But Rey had high hopes, as any child would and believed that the previously nicer weather would persist.

-

Rey was inside the temple when the ship came later that afternoon. It began drizzling outside and got harder every few minutes. So Luke and a few older students suggested that the younglings go inside to play. Rey went in with reluctance, angered at the weather and also wanting to stay outside to wait. But she decided that playing would pass the time by more quickly. She played a game of tag with the other younglings, running around and darting between the pillars and tables in the main hall, proud that she hadn’t been caught yet. She was close to beating her record for the game but got distracted when she saw a glimpse of a ship through one of the long windows. She stared for a few moments before registering what she just saw as a kid whizzed by her and hit her arm. She stumbled a bit and smiled, turning towards the other younglings. Rey, pointed towards the window and jumped up and down yelling, “Ben’s here! Ben’s here!” encouraging all the other children to do the same. 

A few of the older students tried to calm down the younglings while the rest went out, along with Luke, to greet Ben. The ship landed about 100 feet from the temple and gust of air was let out as the hatch of the ship let down. For a few moments, no one came out of the ship. Then six masked figures slowly walked down the hatch, their boots hitting the metal with loud thuds. They lined up a few feet from the ship and faced towards the temple and stood there, waiting. A few students looked at Luke in confusion, who crossed his arms, beginning to become unsettled by this and gave an unsure nod. Then the last figure, who was tall, dark and also masked came out. A dark hood and cape surrounded the figure, flapping around in the harsh wind. It’s mask was lined with chrome and it’s arms were hugged tightly with pleated cloth. It’s robes swayed around it’s body and the boots it wore were loud and rude as it sauntered down the hatch. The figure walked to the middle of the line and stopped abruptly. It straightened itself up, forming a mean composure, and slowly turned it’s head towards the temple, scanning all the faces before stopping at Luke. It stared at him for what seemed an eternity and a great disturbance surged through Luke, making him feel sick. The presence the figure emitted was a familiar one to him and it all the more caused Luke to be unsettled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren orders the massacre of the Jedi temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's murder time kiddos (: This chapter pretty much just focuses on Luke and Kylo, with mentions of Rey. 
> 
> Also, it was actually pretty fun to write this?

Luke drew in a breath and started to reach for his lightsaber, “Go,” he said quietly. “Run. Protect the younglings.”

In the same instant Luke have his order, the masked figure grabbed its own lightsaber and turned it on. A wild and chaotic fiery red beam shot out from the handle. Then two smaller beams shot out from the sides. The sound was a harsh crackle to the ears that resembled static across a radio wave. The figure twirled it’s saber in it’s hand and then barked an order in a robotic voice to the six behind it, “Shoot them. Shoot them all. The Skywalkers are mine.” All six obeyed, moving in unison, not off a single beat. It's as if they trained for this moment. They reached for their blasters hooked at their sides and aimed at the students who started to scatter. Some turned on their own lightsabers, glows of blue and green illuminating the area surrounding them, ready to fight. Others fled into the temple to hide the children and warn the others. 

Luke turned to one student close to him and whispered in her ear, “Make sure Rey is safe. Hide her well and protect her. Tell her I'll come for her when this is through.” The student nodded and ran off into the temple, searching for Rey amidst the chaos.

The six began to shoot as Luke grabbed his own lightsaber and turned it on. Many of the students were able to deflect the lasers and a few brave ones charged at their attackers. One of them recklessly ran to the figure with the saber and tried to attack. The student swung with full force, but was too slow to block a blow to their back. They stumbled and fell onto their knees, mud splashing up and staining their clothes. The student tried to turn and jab at their attacker’s legs but in an instant too quick to process, their hand was cut off from their wrist. The hand flew into the air and landed a few feet from its owner. Their saber turned off when the hand collided with the ground. Before the student had a chance to scream in agony, the fiery saber swooped down and severed their head. The student’s body stayed kneeling for a moment before slumping forward into the muddy ground. A few others were distracted by this action and cried out to their lost friend in sorrow, giving the shooters an advantage. The students were easily shot down and their bodies hit the ground with loud thuds. 

Luke witnessed these quicked events with horror on his face. In anger he flung two of the shooters back with a quick movement of his arm and turned to the figure with the saber.

“Ben! I know it’s you!” Luke yelled from across the chaos and deflected a few lasers shot at him.

“Oh, how you wish,” he let out a coarse, mechanical laugh and pointed his saber directly at Luke, “Ben is dead.” He started to march towards Luke, cutting down a few students who walked in his way, with easy swings of his right arm. “Pathetic. I thought you taught better Skywalker.” He swirled around and jabbed his saber into the chest of an opponent who had their arms above their head, ready to strike. The opponent stopped suddenly and an ugly noise escaped from their lips. Their eyes widened before rolling back, exposing the veiny whites as their mouth went agape. The still lit saber slipped from their hands and fell as they staggered down and hit the ground.

“It’s a pity, you know. These students had so much potential. To see them go like this,” He choked and lifted a togruta student before throwing them back ten feet, “Must hurt you very much.” The wind whipped up and blew back his hood, revealing that his mask was more of a helmet instead. “So much potential,” he turned around and looked at the scene. The six he commanded were ruthlessly fighting the students. One threw down their blaster and brought out a small stick that extended into a long metal staff with a knife at the end and begun striking students occupied with the other members. The blade jabbed into many backs, sliced through necks, and cut into heads, sending spurts of blood to leak from the wounds and mix with the mud on the ground. He shook his head and chuckled. 

Luke looked around too, growing mortified. All his students, his bright students, who were eager to learn, eager to become a Jedi were dropping like flies around him. Tears formed at the corners of Luke’s eyes. They  _ did  _ have potential. So much of it, that a few were close to becoming Knights. But these opportunities were now vanishing. Luke’s work and restoration was being stripped from him all too quickly. He closed his eyes and steadied himself, thinking of Rey for a few moments. After feeling that she was safe deep within the temple, Luke raised his saber and opened his eyes.

“Ben, this isn’t you. You know it isn’t you.”

“And that’s where you’re wrong,” he turned back around and quickly marched towards Luke, with a taunt in each step. He swung at Luke with full force and Luke blocked the attack quickly. “Ben is dead, Skywalker.”

“I don’t believe that.” Luke pushed him back.

“You should,” he lunged at Luke who stepped to the side just in time. “There is no longer a Ben Solo,” he straightened up, “I am Kylo Ren.” Kylo attacked with brute force several minutes while Luke blocked every one of his attacks. A grunt escaped from Luke’s lips as Kylo pushed and pushed Luke back, causing him to slide and fall into the muddy ground.

“You grow weak old man, when you see the world crumbling apart around you,” Kylo moved a few steps away from Luke and twirled his saber in his hand. The red beam spouted like a rigid fire, crackling whenever it moved. “You think too much. Quit worrying about your petty students and focus on me.” Luke glared up at Kylo.

“Get mad. Get angry. Use it against me. I want to see you fight right!” Kylo's robotic voice yelled. He started towards Luke, swinging his arms up but was flung back. Kylo fell far from Luke and landed on the body of a dead student. He grunted and pushed himself up, looking around. But Luke was gone. Kylo yelled out anger and sliced a nearby student in half at the waist, their pieces sliding off each other and falling in opposite directions.

The fighting had died down outside, though a few of the student turned their backs, limping and hobbling towards the temple. Kylo stared at them for a brief moment before raising his hand and motioning for his group to shoot them. The last one fell as Kylo turned off his saber and hooked it to his side. He straightened himself up and squared his shoulders.

“Enter the temple. Do as you did before. Check everywhere. Every room, every corner, every crevice. Leave none alive save for the Skywalker girl.” The six dashed into the temple as Kylo stood out in the rain for a bit, taking in the area around him. Bodies of the learners were strewn and scattered across the ground, some of them dismembered. Ghastly expressions were on a few of their faces, but on other’s horror and great pain was displayed. Water flooded into many of the open mouths and mud soaked into their hair and clothes. Blood still seeped out of a few bodies, staining the area around them into dark reds. A student, with black hair and green markings across their face, was splayed out on the ground. Eyes stared up into the sky as they struggled to breathe, wheezing on every shallow intake. Kylo recognized them and a bout of sympathy seeped through him, but he quickly pushed it away.  He walked over to the student who slowly moved their eyes onto him, trying to focus. They began to move their mouth, trying to form words but Kylo cut them off. He held his hand out in a tight fist and heard them struggle harder to breathe, their face twisting and contorting in pain. After a minute of struggle they went limp. Kylo let his hand down and stared into their eyes, no sign of life within them. Kylo allowed a few moments to pass before stepping over the body and making his way towards the temple, kicking or moving a few bodies with the Force out of the way. 

Screams pierced his ears as he walked into the temple and saw that many already lay dead in the main hall. A small hoard of younglings were pinned against a wall, protected by two learners who were being taken on by two of Kylo’s men. The children were hysterical, sobbing loudly and whining in high pitched voices. Many of them called out to Luke or their parents to protect them. Tears streamed down their faces as they shook and huddled close and closer together. A few closed their eyes and hugged the closest one next to them, hoping that this would all go away. That the bad people in the masks would leave them alone. That they would show them compassion. But Kylo’s men, his Knights, knew better than that. One of the Knights shot at a learners leg and pulled on her hair when she staggered. The Knight dragged her away from the younglings and threw her onto the floor. She touched her head gingerly and stood back up slowly, putting her weight onto the other leg. She was about to light her lightsaber but a shot to the stomach prevented her from doing so. She staggered back and fell onto her butt and touched her wound. Holding up a hand she left out a soft, painful plea, “Please..don’t..don’t do it please.” Tears spilled out of her eyes as she repeated her plea louder this time but the Knight just stared at her and aimed. The girl was knocked down by a shot to her forehead. The children behind them screamed even louder as their other protector was shot down and the two Knights turned towards the children and aimed. 

Kylo watched as they killed the children, one by one, before turning and walking off to the next room, finding the stairs. He took his leisure time walking up the stairs, listening to the screams that still came from below and the new ones that came from above. He entered a new hall, not as much younglings were on this floor as the previous one, but many more learners were here to protect them. Kylo got rid of two by slamming them against the walls and ceiling using the Force, startling the younger children who turned and ran into a room. Kylo turned away, feeling and searching for a familiar presence in the temple. He found Rey hiding in room, high up in one of the towers on the far side of the temple. She was scared. Kylo shook his head and barked at one of the Knights to follow him there. 

 

-

 

Luke ran off once he pushed Kylo away and made way for the other side of the temple, hoping to find the hidden hatch that concealed his ship and R2. After a few moments of frantically running around he found the panel and entered the code. The ground slid open silently and Luke jumped in. R2 was busy making a repair to the ship and beeped a question, wondering what was going on outside, while the hatch slid closed. 

“Nothing good R2, nothing good.” Luke replied back. He raked a hand through his hair for a few moments before jumping into the open cockpit of the ship and started to program a course for Leia’s base. “We’ll be leaving soon, so I suggest you get ready.” R2 beeped. “No..the others..,” Luke sat back in the seat and sighed, “The others won’t be coming. The only ones will be us and Rey, R2.” R2 let out a sad beep. “There’s also no room for them in this ship, so either way…” Luke looked down at his hands and fisted them. Tears welled up in his eyes again and he shook his head.  _ Rey.  _ He searched for her through the the Force again and felt a small surge of happiness when he felt that she was still alright. Luke jumped out of the cockpit and patted R2.

“Make sure everything is ready when I come back. Wait for an hour and if I’m not back by then, leave without me.”  R2 beeped in reply.

“Yes, leave. Tell Leia that Ben isn’t the same anymore. Tell her that he came and massacred the whole temple. You can add more commentary to that if you want.” Luke walked to the other side of the hangar and opened a door which led to a series of underground tunnels under the temple. Luke weaved a path through the corridors, turning left, turning right, and turning left again and inclining up and down before coming to a set of double doors. He swung open one of the doors and entered into the main hall of the temple. Luke closed the door behind him and turned to start walking but stopped dead in his tracks. He was confronted with even more bodies of his dead students. A hand reached up to cover his mouth as he walked towards the center of the room. Luke looked around, his eyes searching every face and feeling immense sorrow. Oh, how he let each of these children down. Oh, how he could’ve given them so much more. Luke knelt down and bowed his head, remaining in this pose for a good while before getting up. He moved around to each child and adolescent, closing their eyes if they already weren’t and wrapped their robes around them to hide their wounds. Luke was startled by hearing a few muffled screams come from above and ran to the stairs to the next floor. He saw the Knights shooting at the younglings and charged at them. He sent one flying back and cut the other’s blaster in half before knocking him out. Luke ran over to the children but it was already too late. They were dead. 

He heard more screams come from the rest of the temple, but he stood there in a daze. He didn’t know how to take this in. Didn’t know so much could happen in so little time. Luke reached for his saber and took it out from its holster. He studied it for a moment, turning it over in his hand and then threw it in anger at a wall. Then he remembered himself.  _ Find Rey.  _ He searched for her again, but this time there was nothing. And that terrified Luke. He tried again but nothing resembling her presence came to him. Luke ran a hand through his hair and grabbed his saber from the floor and dashed to the staircase. He sprinted up the steps murmuring, “Rey,” over and over again, getting louder each time when he said her name. Luke weaved through halls and corridors, ran up more stairs, turned corners, before he came to the tower Rey was hiding in. 

  
Luke paused when he entered the hall, looking around. Everything seemed normal. He drifted slowly as he went deeper into the hall and found an open door to his right when he turned a corner. “Rey?” Luke called out. “Rey, please!” But no answer replied back to him. Luke entered the room and found the girl he told to protect Rey on the floor, her hands a few feet from her body gripping her saber tightly. As Luke was about to begin searching the room, a hum from a ship came to life and Luke ran out of the room and into the hall, finding a window facing the front of the temple. The ship hovered above the ground and took off with a blast that rode it into the atmosphere and out into space. Luke watched the ship go as his bottom lip began to quiver. How could he let this happen. How could he let this happen. How could he let his little girl slip away from him so easily. Why didn’t he stay with her. Why didn’t he protect her. Why did he leave her. Luke let out a sob and covered his mouth. How could he do this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes into hiding within the temple and desperately wants her father to come back for her.

Rey yelped when she saw the students outside lite their sabers. She furrowed her brows, confused and looked to an older learner standing beside her. Rey tugged on their robe, “What’s going on? Why are they doing that?” She whipped her head between the people outside and the learner next to her several times. 

“Shh,” the learner pressed a finger to their lips in reply. They skittered over to the side and climbed up on a chair to get a better look. A soft gasp escaped their lips and one of their hands flew over their mouth. “No..it can’t be,” they whispered softly. Seconds later several students flooded inside as the others began fighting outside. Many shouted orders to hide and protect the younglings, while a small band formed a line twenty feet from the door, lightsabers ready. The student on the chair watched in horror as their friends were easily overwhelmed by the six who shot at them with expertise and by the cloaked figure with the red, eccentric lightsaber. Grabbing for their own lightsaber at their side, they hopped down from the chair and pushed through the group. One of them shouted for the learner to stop but they kept on, running outside and joining the fight. They fought with raw emotion while protecting one of their injured friends who limped around, but soon was shot in the shoulder. They staggered back and then regained composure, ready to deflect more lasers that were being shot at them. They fought for a while more before being shot in the chest and falling into the mud. A moment later, their friend behind them was also shot down.

Rey stood, watching people come into the temple and saw that their faces were covered with fear. She drifted forward a few steps to try to get a view of the commotion outside but was blocked off by a group who ushered her back. Rey made a face and got down on her hands and knees, peering between their legs. She saw a tall cloaked figure with a chaotic lightsaber that twirled and swung about them. Rey’s eyes widened and she gasp as she saw the figure stab through a student. A firm hand grasped her arm and she let out a cry, tensing up. She tried to wiggle away but a soft voice calling to her caught her attention. Rey looked up and saw a girl with bright blue eyes and green skin. The girl pulled Rey up into her arms and carried her away from the commotion. 

“Come on Rey. We have to get you somewhere safe,” She whispered into her ear and patted her back. Rey nodded and covered her ears, the screams and noise becoming too much for her. This isn’t what was supposed to happen. Ben was supposed to come back. It was supposed to be a happy day for them all. She should be hugging Ben, telling him how much she missed him. She should be showing Ben how much she’s grown, showing him how much she’s excelled. But Ben’s not here. He’s gone. The person in the mask probably killed him. Rey felt tears form in her eyes and laid her face down on the girl’s shoulder, stifling her cries. 

“Shh, shh, dear, you’ll be okay. You’ll be okay,” the girl assured Rey softly, though with a hint of doubt in her voice. The girl carried Rey to the stairs and set her down after a flight, “We have to hide. Your father trusted me to protect you and I promised him I would,” she knelt down to get eye level with Rey, “Is there a place you would feel safe hiding? Somewhere your dad would know but no one else?”

Rey stared at her for a moment and wiped her tears before answering, “The tower...there's a room in the tower I hide in when I get mad. I'll show you.” Rey got up to walk up the stairs but stopped when she heard a loud scream from below.

“Go,” the girl pushed Rey’s back, “We can't help them. We must get you safe.” Rey nodded and led her up the stairs and through a series of corridors going through the temple. When Rey took her to the last small set of stairs, they entered into a wide, dark room. The outlines of the shadowed objects looked grotesque and otherworldly, filling Rey’s gut with fear. She hesitated for a moment, scared to walk into the room. She’d been through this room multiple times, on afternoons when she had her fits. She walked through it on the day Ben left. But this time, the atmosphere felt different. Everything felt different. Nothing looked safe to her. The older girl walked around Rey and took a few steps into the room. She turned and held out her hand to Rey.

“It’s alright, see? I’ll walk with you.” Rey looked at the outstretched hand and then the girl’s face. The girl gave a soft smile, “Come on now. I’m right here. Nothing bad will happen.” Rey nodded and put her palm into hers. The girl gave a reassuring squeeze, “Show me the way.” Rey led slowly started to lead her through the room. She huddled close to her, scared that if she left too much space between them, something or someone would jump out and take her. The shadows seemed to move and swirl around, tendrils reaching for Rey’s feet. The air felt heavy and Rey could feel something behind her, watching and waiting. She was afraid to turn around, thinking the person in the mask would be right there, holding their saber. She let out a soft whimper and the girl gave another reassuring squeeze. Rey took a deep breath and focused her eyes on the dimly lit hallway on the other side of the room. She tried her best to pay no attention to the shadows creeping out of the corners, beckoning her to look. Rey focused on the one thing she counted on.  _ Dad. _

Rey made it to the lit hall with a small sigh of relief. 

“See,” the girl crouched down and hugged Rey, “I knew you could do it. I believed in you.” 

Rey looked at her and smiled, “Thanks,” she paused and furrowed her brows, “What's your name?”

The girl laughed as she stood up, “Ctariik. Sorry for not introducing myself. It was quite a busy mess back there and I was in a hurry. Come,” she held out her hand again, “Let’s keep going, we’re getting close.” Rey grabbed her hand and lead her through the hallway and into a smaller, tighter space, before ascending another set of stairs. When they reached the top and we’re met by another hall, Rey let go of her hand and started looking through the rooms. 

“What’re you doing?” Ctariik asked.

“Just making sure it’s safe,” Rey replied back, a little unsteady. She delved further in the hallway and turned right and found her room. “It’s over here,” she called out. Ctariik followed her voice and came into a small room. There was a window on the opposite wall, its shutters slightly closed, allowing lightning to flow through and create a small burst of light every few minutes. A large wardrobe sat against the wall to the right, big enough to hide both of them if need be. A few covered chairs and a small desk was to the left, and behind them and a cupboard. Ctariik scrunched her brows together, wondering why this stuff was here and then shrugged, figuring it was none of her business.

“So,” Ctariik closed the door behind herself, “This is where you come to hide?” Rey nodded in reply and pulled out a doll from underneath the wardrobe. She hugged it tightly before sitting down below the window. 

“What do we do now?” Rey asked. 

“We wait for your father to come. Hopefully this’ll be over soon,” Ctariik gave a small smile, “Do you want to play a game?” She sat down in front of Rey. 

“Like what?” 

“Oh, Idunno,” she blew a strand of hair out of her face, “It doesn’t actually have to be a game.” Ctariik put her chin in her palm and thought for a minute. She snapped her fingers and straightened up, “Oh, how about we think about things that make us happy. Sound good?” Rey looked at her with a confused expression and slowly nodded. 

“Alright, here. Lemme think of something,” Ctariik closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again, “You know, one the things that makes me really happy is getting up early. Way early. Before the sun rises. I sit outside twice a week, on that hill in front of the temple, and wait for the sun to come up. The sunrise is beautiful Rey. The sky is all sorts of cool colors - pinks, golds, blues - it's really nice to look at. What about you? What makes you happy?”

Rey slumped back against the wall and thought. Plenty of things made her happy. Her father. Food. Playing with the older students’ lightsabers (without their permission of course). Wandering around outside. Ben. Rey bit her lip and looked down at her doll, “A lot of things.”

“Mmhm. Like what?” Ctariik tilted her head to the side. 

“When my dad makes funny jokes. He likes to do that a lot. They don’t make sense but I still laugh.” 

“Anything else?”

“Playing around with Ben…,” Rey looked up at Ctariik, “I used to get him in trouble with dad. And then I got in trouble. I told him jokes or messed around with him when I wasn’t supposed to.”

“During training?”

“Yep,” Rey said softly. “Me and Ben would go in the forest sometimes, too. He helped me find stones in the river and pick flowers for dad. 

“Ooh, that sounds fun.”

Rey nodded then hugged her doll. Ctariik moved closer to Rey and begun talking again. She listened to her stories and began to calm down and feel better, forgetting about the horror that was happening underneath them.

Ctariik stopped talking and whipped her head towards the door, sensing something. 

“What?” Rey got up, “What is it?”

“Ssh.” She held out a finger to Rey and crawled towards the door and put her ear against it. Footsteps. Ctariik closed her eyes and focused.  _ There’s two of them.  _ She got up quickly and whispered to Rey, “Get in the wardrobe.”

“W-why? What’s wrong?” Rey looked at her and then the door, her voice starting to panic. 

“We have to hide. Someone’s coming up here,” she ushered Rey to the wardrobe, “Come on I’ll be right here with you.” 

“But what if it’s my dad? What if it’s my dad looking for me?” 

“We can’t take chances,” Ctariik opened up the wardrobe with shaky hands. She looked back at the door as Rey walked in.  _ The footsteps are getting louder.  _ She looked back at Rey in the wardrobe, who gave a scared look and hugged her doll, and then looked up at the empty rack.  _ This won’t do.  _ Ctariik quickly drifted across the room and grabbed the covers from the chairs and came back to the wardrobe, hanging them over the rack. 

“Get behind the cover, Rey. And be very quiet and very still, for me, alright?” Ctariik gave a quick smile to Rey, “It’ll be alright.” Rey nodded and then Ctariik hopped right in next to her and closed the doors to the wardrobe very softly. Small beams of light shot through the wardrobe when it lightninged, illuminating the inside with flashes before the eyes adjusted. The footsteps thunked hard against the ground, sounding in time with each other. The steps got louder as they progressed further down the hallway. Ctariik looked at Rey, who was starting to shake, and grabbed her hand and squeezed it. The footsteps made their way by the door and passed on. Rey let out a sigh and Ctariik grabbed Rey and pulled her close, putting a hand over her mouth. The footsteps stopped at the end of the hall and a light robotic chuckle was heard, muffled by the door. 

“I know you’re here,” a rough voice yelled through the hallways, “I can sense you. Your fear.” The footsteps started again, coming back down the hall. Each step sounded like a threat. Ctariik felt her stomach get sick and Rey made a small noise.The footsteps stopped in front of the door the room they were in.

“Come out,” the voice ordered and slammed the door open, startling Rey and Ctariik. Rey squeezed her doll and Ctariik’s hand, hoping her dad would come back. Hoping he would appear right now and stop this. Stop him. She thought of Ben and wished he was here with her, giving her comfort. 

Ctariik wiggled her hand out of Rey’s and slowly reached for her lightsaber and unhooked it from its holster. She pushed Rey to the side of the wardrobe, so that she’d be out of the way. Ctariik lifted her arms, hands gripping her saber and got ready. Only one set of footsteps entered the room. Very slowly, they walked around, steps hard and loud, causing more distress to Ctariik and Rey. The steps eventually made its way in front of the wardrobe and paused.

“Now, where could you be?” The voice questioned. Ctariik sucked in a breath and slowly moved her thumb to the button of the lightsaber. The doors flew open and Ctariik jumped out, saber lit. She kicked a leg out and hit the person who was taunting them, knocking them down. She then held her saber in front of her and angled it in a defensive manner. 

“Leave us,” Ctariik demanded. She lifted her chin up and looked down at them. They were cloaked, dressed in black with a flowing skirt that pooled on the floor around them as they knelt, and masked with chrome accents. 

“Oh,” the mask looked up at her, “Now I can’t do that.” They held out their hand to the side and their lightsaber flew in place. They twirled the handle a bit before turning it on. Ctariik raised an eyebrow, the gesture seemed familiar. Ctariik jumped when she heard the saber come to life. It crackled and buzzed and glowed a deep red. She had already seen it once, outside with Luke, but it still surprised her. She also noticed the structure of the handle was unusual and sloppy. 

“You can,” she challenged them. “I know you come for Rey and I’m not letting you get to her.” She steadied herself in front of the open wardrobe. Rey was still behind the covers, but they all knew she was there. She shook in the corner and tears came to her eyes. She was terrified. Terrified of what would happen to Ctariik. Terrified of what would happen to her. Rey saw what they could do...witnessed it with her own eyes. She hoped she didn’t have to see it again. 

“You're so sure of yourself,” they rose up, towering over Ctariik like a mountain. A flash of red sliced through the air and collided with a beam of green. Ctariik struggled against the brute of the other, gritting her teeth. She was pushed down by them and rolled away before the saber could hit her. It instead sliced the floor. They turned and swiped at her again and she blocked him. Ctariik quickly pivoted herself around their sabers, moving to a position where she could easily maneuver herself. Ctariik pushed them back and held her saber to the side. 

“You won’t touch her!” she yelled. 

“Really,” they swiped their saber at her torso. It grazed across her abdomen and chest and she cried out in pain. She stumbled back as they kicked her face and loud crunch was heard that made Rey wince. Ctariik fell back on her butt and brought a hand to her bloody nose, flinching when she touched it. She looked up at them, a glare gleaming in her eyes, and raised her saber again. But when she went to swing, her hands and lightsaber were gone. She stopped dead and stared at her cauterized stumps, her face becoming masked in horror. Ctariik let out a shaky scream. She peeled her eyes from her stumps and looked to her hands that lay across from her and stared. They shook their head and chuckled.

“Can you protect her now?” Before Ctariik was able to answer, they stabbed her through the chest. They kept the saber there for a moment, seeing her face contort in pain and her breathing becoming a series of chokes before taking it out. Ctariik fell face down on the floor with a thud. 

They clicked off their saber and turned to the wardrobe. They walked over - with much less taunt and cruelty - and tore off the covers from the rack. Rey jumped and pressed herself against the wardrobe wall, shaking and squeezing the doll. Her eyes darted to Ctariik and her face drew in sadness, the doll stifled a cry. Rey thought about her father, hoping he was here, hoping that she wouldn’t face the same fate as Ctariik or anyone else. She thought about Ben. She wished this was all just a bad dream. That this couldn’t be real. Nothing this bad ever happened in life. Nobody could do this. She wanted her father and Ben to protect her. To save her from whoever this masked person was with their terrifying voice and lightsaber. Rey sobbed and closed her eyes shut and brought the doll to her face.

“Rey,” they crouched down in front of her, “Rey, it’s me. It’s Ben.” 

Rey shook her head, “No! That’s not true!” Ben would never do this. Ben would never hurt so many people. He wouldn’t hurt his friends, he wouldn’t hurt the little kids, he wouldn’t hurt her. Ben is gone. Ben is dead. Ben wouldn’t hide his face under a mask. Ben wouldn’t put on a scary voice that sounded deep and robotic. 

“Rey, please,” he started to reach for her, “Please, it’s me. Come here.” 

“No! Never!” Rey screamed at him. Tears started pouring out of her eyes, “You’re not Ben! Ben wouldn’t do this!” He retracted his hand from her.

“Rey,” he sighed through the mask, “I need you to come here. I need you to come wi-”

“NO!” She threw her doll at him, “Get away from me!” 

He sucked in a deep breath and stood up. He clicked his lightsaber on, “You. Will. Come. Here,” he articulated. “Rey, you  _ will  _ come here,” his voice rose. She cried harder, growing frightened. Rey called out for Luke. Her father. 

“Stop it!” He yelled at her and swung his lightsaber at the wardrobe, slicing through the open doors. Rey flinched. Then he pointed it at her, inches away from her face.

“No, no, no, no please! Please, please…don’t..please,” Rey begged. She pushed her head against the back of the wardrobe, eyeing the flickering red beam heating her face. 

He looked down at Rey, the saber, and then his hand. He withdrew his arm and turned the saber off and hooked it back on his belt. He let out a soft sigh and watched her cry and tremble in fear. He started to feel sorry for her. Sorry that she had to see this. What he and his Knights did. He moved towards her quickly and she cringed, thinking that he was going to hurt her, but he picked her up and put her over his shoulder. Rey beat his back and squirmed, yelling at him to let her go. 

“We have to hurry,” he said over Rey’s screams to his Knight still at the doorway, “I sense him. He’s coming to get her.” The Knight moved out of the way to let him through. “There’s a quicker passage we’ll take to avoid seeing Skywalker,” he started down the hallway but made different turns this time, leading to other sets of stairs that weren’t used as frequently as the main set. Rey gave up with beating him after a few minutes and instead resorted to crying and weeping again. He paid no attention to her as she wept. 

They came into the main hall of the temple and Rey lifted her head and looked around, lip quivering. They walked outside to go to the ship and Rey gasped. She quickly closed her eyes and let the rain wet the back of her head and run to her face, smearing her paint. They walked up the ship’s lowered ramp and he set Rey down on a box. Rey gave him a hard look and the other Knights scattered around preparing for takeoff. 

He looked at one of the Knights, “Take us to a planet in a system far from the reach of Snoke. He must not know she survived.” Then he looked to two others, “Burn the temple.” The Knights nodded. He looked back at Rey who had brought her legs up to her chest. He reached towards her and touched her head, caressing it for a moment. Then she felt an odd sensation and fell asleep.

 

-

 

Rey awoke with a jolt, seeing the outlines of figures and feeling a blistering heat and a too bright sun hit her eyes. She squinted and shielded her eyes, hearing mumbling - two people talking back and forth. Rey wondered where she is. She looked around and all she saw was sand. Endless dunes of sand. Rey wondered where her father is.  _ Maybe _ , she figured, he’s one of the people talking. She knew that this situation didn't feel right to her but she can’t place why. She can’t seem to remember what happened yesterday. Rey whipped her head up to the sky, hearing a ship start up and take off.  _ Dad.  _ He’s leaving her. A meaty hand grabbed her arm and pulled her through the sand. 

“Come back!” She shouted a few times to the sky. The hand pulled her again, almost dragging her away, and expressed their distaste for her whining. Rey glances back at the sky.  _ Come back. _


End file.
